As technology evolves, so do the physical connections to hardware. Newer computers and laptops no longer support the standard 9-pin serial connection port that was used to communicate to older industrial devices. USB to Serial adapters are a great tool to use, but often require two separate cables – the USB adapter and the original serial cable to your device. We have a little-known secret that might help you out. Rockwell Automation offers a variety of USB adapters/cables to help you connect with your devices using newer technology. These cables are specially designed to withstand the harsh industrial environments ensuring you have a secure connection to your device out on the field.

Here are some of the new and most popular ones:

9300-USBCBL-CP3 (Serial)

9300-USBCBL-CP3 (Serial)

This cable is a USB to 9-pin D Shell serial cable. It replaces the 1747-CP3/1756-CP3 cable used for connecting to SLC, PLC-5, ControlLogix, and CompactLogix controllers, as well as PanelView Plus 7 HMIs. This cable requires RSLinx v2.59 or greater and supports RSLinx’s “auto-configure” feature. It also comes with a Null adapter which allows communication with legacy PanelView Standard terminals.

9300-USBCBL-PM02 (Serial)

9300-USBCBL-PM02 (Serial)

This USB to 8-pin mini DIN serial cable is specially designed to withstand the harsh industrial environments ensuring you have a secure connection to your device out on the field. It replaces the 1761-CBL-PM02, and also supports the “auto-configure” feature for RSLinx drivers for v2.59 or greater. It’s primarily used to connect to MicroLogix controllers, but can also be used to communicate between MicroLogix and PanelView Plus 7 terminals.

9300-USBCBL-ABHR2 (DF1)

9300-USBCBL-ABHR2 (DF1)

This cable is an Industrial USB “A” to “B” connector style cable. It connects to the newer generation CompactLogix (5370, 5380), newer generation ControlLogix (5570, 5580, 1756-ENxT, 1756-DNB), Micro800 controllers, PanelView Plus 7, and PanelView 5310 & 5500 HMI’s. It requires RSLinx v2.59 or greater and will automatically create a USB driver for you, so there’s no configuration needed. It’s recommended for temporary connections during initial setup and is not recommended for a permanent connection.

9300-USBCBL-CNSL (Serial Console)

9300-USBCBL-CNSL (Serial Console)

This cable is used to communicate through USB to the RJ45 console port on your Stratix switch. Using this cable, you can then connect to your Stratix switch for configuration through command line interface (CLI).

Additional Resources:

David Florist is one of our Automation Specialists for Rumsey's Automation Systems Group (ASG) out of the Conshohocken branch. He has been with Rumsey for over 5 years. Straight out of college, David took on the role of Automation Inside Product Specialist being exposed to all the automation disciplines. Since his start, he has become very versed in almost every discipline of Automation and is the local expert on component level control systems. David is now an Automation Specialist still focusing on every discipline of automation and is a valued member of the ASG Rumsey team. What keeps David going is that he helps people every day, no matter how big or small. David received his degree in Robotics and Automation, Technology Management, and Marketing from Pennsylvania College of Technology.